Vehicle Licensing

Mr. Rendel : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport into which
vehicle licensing category mechanical organs fall which are permanently
fixed to the vehicle and used for display purposes only.

Mr. Key : Vehicles used to transport mechanical organs for solely
private purposes, for example use at charity events, fall to be licensed in
the private and light goods--PLG--tax class. The HGV rate would apply only
where there was a commercial purpose.

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will
list the names of those consulted in respect of proposals on passengers and
goods vehicle operating licences circulated on 27 May 1993.

Mr. Key : I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 14
December 1993 at column 592. In addition the Department sent copies of the
consultation document to a wide-ranging number of bodies and individuals
with an interest in operator licensing.

O"Licences

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he
intends to implement the proposals for continuous "O" licensing included in
the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill ; how the annual fee for the
renewal of the "O" licence is to be paid and collected ; what provision

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there will be to bring to the attention of
the licensing authority any misdemeanour committed by an operator during
the previous year ; how and how often the licensing authority will check an
operator's licence ; on what basis the licensing authority will decide to
hold a public inquiry following objections to an "O" licence proposal or
transfer ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Key : Continuous operator licensing will be introduced as soon
as possible after Royal Assent, consistent with the need for a smooth
transition from the current system. Details of changes to fee arrangements
are currently the subject of separate consultation. Any further changes as
a consequence of continuous licensing will also be the subject of prior
consultation. The enforcement of the requirements on vehicles subject to
operator licensing will be unaffected by the change to continuous
licensing. Checks on the details of an operators business will continue to
be made at the same five year intervals as provided by the present five
year licensing system and operators will continue to be required to notify
the licensing authorities about changes whenever they occur. The licensing
authorities will continue to hold public inquiries as at present when they
need to be satisfied about a matter arising out of an application for a
licence or a variation of a licence. In addition, at the five-yearly review
point, they will also be able to hold inquiries to consider objections to
the operating centre of an operator.

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
assessment he has made of the effect the proposal to end the requirement
for "O" licence operators to prove to

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the Traffic Commissioner that they have
adequate maintenance facilities for their vehicles, set out in his
Department's 1993 consultation document, will have on (a) road safety and
(b) general vehicle maintenance standards.

Mr. Key : This proposal is not being taken forward. Operators will
continue to be required to satisfy traffic commissioners that they have
adequate maintenance arrangements for their vehicles.

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many
public inquiries have been held in each traffic region in each of the last
three years in respect of (a) HGV operator licences and (b) PSV operator
"O" licences ; and, in each case, if the operator licence was revoked or
retained ; and, in the latter case, what conditions were applied.

Mr. Key : The appendices to the annual reports of the licensing
authorities and traffic commissioners published for the last three years,
1990-91 to 1992-93, contain information on the number of public inquiries
held in each traffic area. Specific information about disciplinary
inquiries is in the main text of each licensing authority's report.

Of those cases heard at public inquiry, the number of goods vehicle and
public service vehicle operator licences revoked or retained, or where
conditions were applied to PSV licences is in some instances mentioned in
the reports and appendices to the reports. More detailed information on the
action taken by each traffic commissioner and licensing authority against
operator licences could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Copies of the "Annual Reports of the Licensing Authorities" and "Annual
Reports of the Traffic Commissioners" are available in the Library of the
House.

Road-rail Transport

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his
estimate of the current capacity of combined road-rail transport
operations.

Mr. Freeman : Table 5.14 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1993
contains statistics on "other traffic" which includes intermodal road-rail
traffic. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Library.

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
documentary evidence will be required relating to the destination of the
loading unit used in a combined transport operation from or to a rail
terminal ; and what enforcement measures will be implemented.

Mr. Freeman : The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment)
(No. 2) Regulations 1994, which were laid in the House on 25 February
exempt from the 38 tonne maximum weight limit a vehicle carrying a loading
unit as part of a combined transport operation either (a) to a railhead
pursuant to a contract for the transport of that unit by rail, or (b) from
a railhead to which the unit has been transported by rail. The regulations
require a document to be carried in the cab of the vehicle which specifies,
in the case of (a), the railhead, the date of the relevant contract and the
parties thereto or, in the case of (b), the railhead and the date and time
at which the unit was collected from the railhead.

Column 690

Enforcement of lorry weight limits is
carried out by the vehicle inspectorate, the police, and local authority
trading standards departments. The 44 tonne weight limit will apply only to
vehicles carrying containers and swap-bodies and therefore vehicles not
carrying these weights will be unable to operate legitimately above 38
tonnes.

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will
give details and locations of the rail terminals he has identified for use
by 44-tonne lorries in combined road-rail transport operations.

Mr. Freeman : Any rail terminal with facilities for the transhipment
of containers and swap-bodies will qualify as a railhead for the purposes
of the relevant regulations. It will also be necessary for the loading
units in question to travel, or to have travelled, by rail on a network
operated by British Rail or under a network licence.

Tickets

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans
he has to replace the limitless journey travel card with a stored-value
ticket limiting the number of journeys that can be made ; and if he will
make a statement.

Mr. Norris : The Government have made clear their commitment to
continuation of the London travel card and have no plans to replace it by a
stored-value ticket. The stored-value ticket which London Transport will
shortly be introducing as part of its current trial of smart card
technology on buses in Harrow will be in addition to, not a replacement
for, the present travel card.

Executive Agencies

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
consultations have been held with existing traffic area staff about his
proposals to turn the existing traffic areas into executive agencies.

Mr. Key : Traffic area office staff have been kept informed about
the proposal for executive agency status and will be consulted as proposals
are developed.

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
consultations have been held between his Department and the Council on
Tribunals about his proposals to turn the existing traffic areas into
executive agencies ; and whether agreement to such a proposal would need to
be given by the Council on Tribunals.

Mr. Key : The Council on Tribunals views will be sought before any
decision is taken on whether to give the traffic area network executive
agency status.

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he
will list the future responsibilities of traffic commissioners under his
proposals to turn the existing traffic areas into executive agencies ;

(2) what will be the relationship as regards decision making at traffic
area office level between the traffic commissioner and the chief executive
if his proposals to turn the existing traffic areas into executive agencies
are implemented.

Mr. Key : The responsibilities of the traffic commissioners for the
licensing and disciplining of operators and drivers would remain unchanged
if it were decided to

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establish a traffic area network executive
agency. The chief executive or director of the executive agency would be
responsible for the management and performance of the traffic area offices,
whose staff would continue to provide support for the traffic
commissioners.

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
consultations have been held with the road haulage industry about his
proposals to turn the existing traffic areas into executive agencies.

Mr. Key : The proposal for executive agency status is concerned with
improving management and will not affect the operator licensing regime ;
nevertheless, any views expressed by the road haulage industry will be
given careful consideration.

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
consultations have been held with traffic commissioners about his proposals
to turn the existing traffic areas into executive agencies.

Mr. Key : Traffic commissioners are being consulted through the
senior traffic commissioner and are represented on the steering group that
has been established to develop the proposals for agency status.

Air Misses

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many
air misses there have been in each of the last four years involving
aircraft (a) taking off and (b) landing at (i) Leeds-Bradford and (ii)
Humberside airports.

Mr. Norris : The responsibility for the safety regulation of United
Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority--CAA. All
air miss reports in United Kingdom airspace, involving civil or military
aircraft, are investigated initially by the joint air miss section of the
National Air Traffic Services, which is a joint CAA/Ministry of Defence
organisation. They are then examined by the joint air miss working group--
JAWG--an independent committee drawn from a wide cross-section of
responsible aviation bodies.

The records held by the joint air miss section, of air miss reports
submitted by pilots show that for the period in question, no air miss
reports were submitted for Leeds airport, while for Humberside airport only
two such reports have been submitted. The first incident occurred on 23 May
1991 and involved a civilian aircraft in the final descent phase of its
flight, which came into conflict with a military aircraft. The second
incident took place on 13 October 1992 and also involved a loss of
separation between a military aircraft and a civilian aircraft. The latter
was in the landing phase of its flight. In both cases the incidents were
subsequently judged by the JAWG to have involved no risk of collision.

Drink Driving

Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant
to his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall) of
21 February, Official Report, column 83, if he will set out the terms of
reference of the sociological study of hard-core drink-drivers being
carried out with the assistance of the Portman Group ; and if he will make
a statement.

Column 692

Mr. Key : The study is designed to give a better understanding of
the circumstances surrounding drinking and driving offences. The contract
for this research was let by the Portman Group, which is funding the study,
and it would be for it to decide whether to release any details at this
stage.

Severn Bridge

Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if
he will introduce a discount for those purchasing in advance electronic
tags for crossing the Severn bridge.

Mr. Key : Discounts of 20 per cent. for cars and light vans and 10
per cent. for heavy vehicles are already available on electronic tags valid
for one month or three months, based on the assumption of 22 and 66 return
trips respectively. These are the only discount requirements on the
concessionaire, Severn River Crossing plc, under its concession agreement
with the Secretary of State. Any further discounts are a matter for SRC's
commercial judgment.

Copia

Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what
information he has about the sinking of the fishing vessel Copia ; what
consideration he has given to recovering the ship and crew ; what
representations he has received on the subject ; and if he will make a
statement ;

(2) where responsibility lies for the recovery of bodies on fishing vessels
sunk in inland waters ; what arrangements are made for such a recovery in
the case of the Copia ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norris [holding answer 15 March 1994] : The marine
accident investigation branch inquiries into the accident are in progress.
No representations have been received by this Department on the subject,
other than the letter of 7 March from the hon. Member.

The Department will not contemplate salvaging a wreck except where there
are firm grounds for surmising that raising a wreck would establish the
nature and cause of the accident and there are no other means of achieving
this.

There is no general requirement on the part of any official organisation to
recover bodies in such circum-stances. Nevertheless, immediately after the
accident when police divers located the wreck they looked for the bodies of
the crew, but unfortunately without success.

Shipping Register

Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will
make a statement on the representations he has received for Liverpool to be
the base for a national open register of shipping ; and if he will make a
statement.

Mr. Norris [holding answer 14 March 1994] : Since the Baltic
Exchange's proposals for a British open register for shipping were received
in early December, the Liverpool chamber of commerce and industry has
written to reaffirm its support for it and for the proposal that the
registry should be located in Liverpool. As I explained to my hon. Friend
the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 24 January, Official Report,

Column 693

column 78, the proposal raised complex
issues which required careful study. An announcement will be made shortly.

Road Franchising

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans
he has to franchise local roads ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Key : We have no such plans.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Self-Financing Regulatory Authorities

Mr. Steen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many
self-financing regulatory authorities his Department has set up since 1992
; what was the annual running cost of each of the self-financing regulatory
authorities in each of the last three years ; and what was the staffing
establishment at the latest available date, last year and two years ago.

Mr. David Davis : There are no self-financing regulatory authorities
in the departments for which the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has
responsibility.

Quangos

Mr. Steen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he
will list the number of quangos for which he is responsible ; how much in
public funds has been given to each quango in each of the last two years ;
what is the current staffing establishment of each quango ; and what it was
five years ago for the comparable bodies.

Mr. David Davis : Such information is contained in the publication
"Public Bodies 1993" and earlier editions of the same publication. Copies
of all editions are available in the Libraries of the House.

Rules and Regulations

Mr. Steen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many
rules and regulations his Department has passed in each of the last two
years.

Mr. Waldegrave : Rules and regulations made by my Department during
this period are as follows :

Citizens Charter

Mr. Waterson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when
he will give a full report of progress on the citizens charter since the
publication of the first report in November 1992.

Mr. Waldegrave : "The Citizen's Charter Second Report : 1994"
setting out progress in fulfilling citizens charter commitments across the
public service is published today. Copies of the report have been placed in
the Libraries of both Houses.

Column 694

WALES

Management Systems

Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much
his Department's computer-aided facilities management systems cost ; from
whom they were purchased ; how many person hours were required to
commission them ; what the estimated and actual saving has been from their
operation ; and to what extent the use of such systems accounts for the
apparent rise in theft noted in his answer to the hon. and learned Member
for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 16 February, Official Report,
columns 884-85.

Mr. Redwood : The Welsh Office does not have a computer-aided
facilities management system. However, a computerised system holding
information relating to the Department's information technology assets is
in place and a project is under way to provide by the end of the year a
system which will cater for the Department's real estate, property
management and asset inventory requirements. The existing system was
purchased from Workgroup Systems at a cost of £7,500 and commissioning
is estimated to have taken 150 person hours. It was installed in order to
provide a secure record of assets rather than in the expectation of direct
savings. There is no evidence to suggest that it has influenced the level
of reported theft and losses.

Public Bodies

Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many
persons responded to press advertisements inviting applications for
positions on non-departmental public bodies in Wales in the last 12 months
; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) how many persons who responded to press advertisements for positions on
non-departmental public bodies have been appointed by him in the last 12
months.

Mr. Redwood : More than 2,500 people made inquiries following the
advertisements in Welsh newspapers in July 1993 inviting nominations to the
Welsh Office register of candidates for public appointments. Of these, 959
returned completed nominations. Most of the nominations were received
between September 1993 and January 1994. The new names have been added to
those considered as and when vacancies arise.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which non-
departmental public body chairman and board members will be required to
hold their annual review meeting with Ministers in the first quarter of the
year 1994-95 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 March 1994] : My ministerial
colleagues and I hold meetings with all the NDPB chairmen to consider their
targets for the forthcoming year. Some of these will take place during the
first quarter of this year.

Equal Pay

Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will
make a statement concerning the 1975 equal pay directive as it refers to
Wales.

Column 695

Mr. Redwood : The 1975 Equal Pay Directive is implemented in Great
Britain by means of the Equal Pay Act 1970 as amended by the Equal Pay
(Amendment) Regulations 1993.

Female Workers

Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what
assessment he has made of the part-time earnings of female workers ; and if
he will make a statement.

Mr. Redwood : According to the New Earnings Survey, in April 1993
average gross earnings for part-time females on adult rates in Wales were
£71.30 per week for manual employees and £101.90 for non-manual
employees. These averages are similar to those of most other regions.

F. L. Steelcraft

Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much grant
aid has been paid out from public funds in the past to (a) F. L. Steelcraft
or (b) F. L. Steelcraft Ltd. of Borth, Aberystwyth, Wales ; and on what
dates.

Mr. Redwood : To comment on the Department's relationship with
individual companies would be a breach of commercial confidentiality.

Farm Workers

Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will
undertake a tour of Wales meeting farm workers to discuss wages, conditions
of work and the future of the Agricultural wages board ; and if he will
make a statement.

Mr. Redwood : No. The future of the Agricultural wages board is
currently being considered in the light of the responses to the
consultation exercise completed last year.

Earnings

Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what
measures he will take to improve the wages of female workers.

Mr. Redwood : My strategy is based on the continued success of
United Kingdom macroeconomic policy ; improving standards of education and
training in Wales ; improving access to markets ; and ensuring a good
supply of development land and facilities for industry and commerce. The
continuing success of this strategy should enable average earnings for both
men and women in Wales to increase still further.

Documents

Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will
list the titles of all items published during the last three years by his
office and by all public bodies to which he makes appointments, which were
available for sale, and which were published in the English language only
indicating the price, reference numbers, and dates of publication in each
case ;

(2) if he will list the full titles of all publications issued during the
last three years by his office and by public bodies to which he makes
appointments, which were

Column 696

available for purchase, and which were
printed in both the Welsh and English languages, indicating the prices,
reference numbers, and dates of publication in each case.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The information as requested is not centrally
available but details of documents published by the Department indicating
the price, reference numbers, year of publication and whether available in
Welsh are contained within the "Welsh Office Publications List 1992". It is
published annually and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Disabled People

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what
initiatives or schemes he has launched in Wales to compensate disabled
people for the additional value added tax costs being imposed.

Mr. Redwood : I refer the hon. Member to the package of assistance
announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his statement on 30
November 1993 at columns 922-24.

Cardiac Surgery

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to
his answer of 28 February, Official Report, column 595, regarding cardiac
surgery in Wales, what level of additional resources is being made
available and to which health authorities for purchasing purposes ; in
which trusts and directly managed units for provider purposes new
facilities are being developed ; and what are the relevant dates for
commencement and completion of such developments.

Mr. Redwood : In addition to their discretionary allocations, from
which cardiac services are also purchased, £6.5 million is available
in 1993-94 to assist health authorities move towards the target level of
cardiac surgery in Wales. I shall announce provision for 1994-95 in due
course.

We have completed the development of cardiac facilities at the University
Hospital of Wales which can now deliver 800 adult cardiac operations a
year. New facilities, which will deliver the balance of need in South
Wales, are to be developed at Morriston Hospital NHS Trust. Planning is
currently underway and the centre is expected to become operational in
1997.

Rules and Regulations

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many rules
and regulations his Department has passed in each of the last three years.

Mr. Redwood : The number of rules and regulations made by statutory
instrument for Wales alone by the Secretary of State for Wales during the
past three years is as follows : 1991--73 ; 1992--131 ; 1993--84.

Quangos

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list
the number of quangos for which he is responsible ; how much in public
funds has been given to each quango in each of the last three years ; what
is the current staffing establishment of each quango ; and what is was five
years ago.

Column 697

Mr. Redwood : Such information is contained in the publication
"Public Bodies 1993" and earlier editions of the same publication. Copies
of all editions are available in the Library of the House.

Health Service Costs

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what
is his estimate of administration costs for family health service
authorities for Wales as a whole for each year since 1989-90, indicating
the percentage increase in constant prices which has taken place since 1989
-90 and the latest available year.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Revenue expenditure of family health service
authorities in Wales on administration was £4,242,000 in 1989-90,
£6, 910,000 in 1990-91, £8,265,000 in 1991-92 and £9,150,000
in 1992-93. This represents an increase over the period of 81 per cent. at
constant prices. In 1992-93 the cost of this administrative expenditure
represented 1.9 per cent. of the total spent on family health services in
Wales.